How do rugby league players become associated with the kinds of people linked to James Segeyaro, Corey Norman and most recently Jarryd Hayne?
In my experience the reason is simple. Let me explain.
Football players have very little time for the recreational activities that normal guys in their 20s get up to. I missed weddings during my football career and I missed birthdays and other “normal” social events. I missed lots of them in fact.
The reality of life as a football player is that you don’t do much socialising during the week outside of with your teammates. There may be a day in the middle of the week where you’re free, but all your non-football mates are at work, and at that stage you’re likely to be focussing the upcoming game anyway.
After a long week, we all enjoy letting our hair down with a beer. Whether you’re a lawyer, accountant, chippy or footy player, it’s a nice feeling to relax after a tough slog. Your accountant and chippy mates might want to hang out on the weekend, but for footy players that’s game time. Game time is work time.
A footy player’s schedule detaches you from society to a certain extent.
You often have a little window after all the post match formalities when you can blow off a little steam and let your hair down – win, lose or draw. Get a few Monday and Sunday games in a row and it ends up being a long time between drinks and the pressure builds.
So how do players blow off steam? Well that’s where the lives of NRL players and the so called undesirable people involved in certain scenes start to collide.
Those kinds of people have greater access to the players; certainly more than your average punter.
Put simply, they’re in the positions of power in the scene the players are in during the only time they get for recreation – after the game.
So when you decide to go to a club and have a drink, you’re confronted with a couple of options.
Go to the pub or club and people want to chew your ear off about the game or about footy. The reason you’re there in the first place is to get away from exactly that.
Or, someone comes up to the team, asks if you’d like a separate area, free drinks to get you started, and the ability to ask any girl you’d like to hang out with you.
We’ve all heard enough stories about players getting into fights in public to know that the private area is the smart choice.
It’s the way it’s going in Australia. The USA has already seen it happen.
Professional baseballers, NFL guys and most major athletes pay to rope off half the club. That costs about $20,000. In my day at least, players in the NRL simply weren’t able to handle that kind of cost.
When someone who owns or helps run a club offers you free drinks and a free private area, you are very thankful to that person for doing you a favour. Same goes for the person or the group of people that invites you into their private area away from the hustle of the crowd, the ones with the private waiters, pretty girls and free drinks.
The people who are organising that for you, however, are a completely separate issue.
Drugs, criminal figures and nightclubs are all intrinsically linked, they always have been. If you don’t think that 70 per cent of people in that club knows someone that has some connection with the drug scene then you have your head in the sand. It’s a sad reality.
Chances are the person organising your area, with your free drinks and facilitating you talking to beautiful women, also has some connection to that.
Aside from the fact you feel like a bit of a rockstar, players are also doing nothing wrong by accepting that. Because those people are around you, talking to you, helping you, doesn’t mean you’re doing drugs with them. It doesn’t mean you’re consorting on criminal business.
Over the course of a few weeks they can become your ‘mate’, but it doesn’t mean that a player has thought about that person’s record with law enforcement.
Of all the people that supposedly have shady backgrounds that these recent players have been hanging out with, I wouldn’t been able to name a single one of them, nor would I have been able to tell you what they had been previously convicted or were under surveillance for until the newspapers spelled it out in black and white on the front page. Could you?
Is it incumbent upon players to check the criminal history of people they are associating with at a nightclub in their spare time?
In my experience, while these people might have criminal associations, they are as big a footy fans as anyone else in the club. Players are encouraged to be nice to everyone. To say g’day to everyone. To be sociable.
Does this stop with people who may be associated with a criminal investigation? And if so, how can you tell?
I was in that situation many times, and honestly I had no idea of who these people were or what they’d done.
The inkling is there that the people you’re dealing with could have an association with that scene, but is that really the situation for a player to make that judgement about that individual?
If someone in a club has a big tattoo on his neck does that mean you shouldn’t associate with them? Half the NRL players have tattoos – it’s not a great rule to go by when it comes to identifying troublesome people.
These people offer players a sanctuary. They become associated with a good time. They become a ‘mate’.
They’re not hurting anyone, or doing any drugs.
That’s how it starts.
As long as players are not going out for lunch with them, or taking them to meet the fans I don’t see a problem with what players do in a nightclub or who they choose to associate with.
For people who sit on the sideline and judge players for associating with certain individuals, who a player may or may not know the back story of, is a fine line of argument.
The case of Andrew Fifita is different.
You have your mates who you’ve known your whole life, and I’m sure we’d all agree that different people choose different paths. You can’t be there to hold everyone’s hand, and sometimes your mate makes a stupid decision and does the wrong thing.
A few of my mates have ended up in jail because they were caught in situations that spiralled out of control, or they made a mistake.
Going to jail I would imagine is the most daunting thing in any person’s life.
But they’re still your mate. And there is one thing that is ingrained into a rugby league player since day dot, and that is to stand by your mates. You’re entitled to help your mates through the rehabilitation process. After all, going to jail is not just about punishing, but also rehabilitation is it not?
Andrew Fifita should be allowed to support his mate.(Click to Tweet)
At the same time, if a person has been tried and convicted of a crime through our legal system, as a role model you can’t be writing what is an implied protest on your wrist and using your platform to give it prominence. This stands true regardless of whether you think the ruling was unfair, incorrect or whether you think you know the untold “truth”.
Fifita’s not a lawyer. He can’t be using his time on TV to protest a ruling that was handed down by a judge who is highly educated and knows the facts of the case and their association to the law better than him. As a role model in front of thousands of people, he simply can’t.
Support your mate. Talk to his family. Encourage them to visit him. Help him be a better person.
Now I understand the public’s opinion that you should be screening the people you hang out with.
But players can’t help who their mates are. They also can’t spend all their personal time figuring out the criminal records of those they meet when they’re out.
It’s complicated, but the fact is that if a player is doing nothing wrong, then the public outcry is not warranted.
Unless players start getting a list of personalities that they are not allowed to hang out with, which I’m sure would be just as long as the list of banned substances in the WADA handbook, and just as easily to memorise (not very), then i can’t see how any of this could be changed or enforced.
It will only ever be an after-the-fact situation, more overblown headlines and more slagging of the great game we love. For my mind it’s a cheap and easy angle that the media has now discovered that can generate headlines and sell newspapers on a slow news day.
Consorting with criminals is not something I condone. But first show me evidence of NRL players of partaking in illegal behaviour, then I’ll start throwing some stones.
Brad Tassell
Guest
Complicated subject and I agree with most of what Craig said, however there have been circumstances were players have been officially warned by federal or state police about consorting with known criminals, yet they have ignored this advice. If you are warned by the police and you know their background and don't heed the advice and still consort in public with them, then sorry boys but you will have to live with the consequences, including public outcry and possible termination of contracts or fines by your club/NRL. Fifitas act (coming on top of his junior game officials abuse) was just plain stupidity. No one would say don't support your mate in private but using his celebrity on a national stage to effectively say the judge, our courts and the police are wrong is a bonehead play and deserved to be condemned. This is why I always cringe when NRL players are automatically labelled "role models" just because they play first grade football. Sorry, but a role model to me is a dedicated fireman or a policeman or a sports person like Preston Campbell who aside from being a great footy player was a leader among his people, invented the all stars game as a celebration on reconciliation and did so much off the field. We need to stop labelling our sports stars as "role models" until they prove they deserve the title.
Pete
Guest
Could have thats right!... these guys blantently hang out with these undesirables thats the major issue call that being naive?
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Craig paints a fair picture of how players can get themselves into situations,for which they may have little control or be naively unaware of some peoples' backgrounds.I am not going to judge a person if they are naive ,but certainly will if they are fully aware of said person's current criminal activities. I do note Terry suggesting Rugby players don't hang out with criminals ,I don't know whether they do or not and with due respects to Terry neither does he,but I do know and have NZ info from Stuff.co.nz,which provides a decent list of criminal acts by NZ ru players for the years 1972-2011.IOW those that have been publicly recorded.Now whether some of these incidents happened in the presence of criminals,it doesn't say,but could well have. To suggest blindly players from X code don't hang out with criminals,because there is no publicity,is naive.
Terry
Guest
OK Mr Wing why is it that Rugby players don't hang out with criminals?... did you see any of your Japanese rugby mates hanging out with the Yakuza ("ninkyo dantai") in Tokyo.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Nobody is being criticised for associating with family though. Only friends when friendships were made after those people were already allegedly involved in criminal organisations.
Cedric
Guest
nice article Craig, but if your a star or someone well known you don't just cruise into a pub, you pick where you are going. When people start offering you something for nothing it becomes pretty obvious something is coming. And throwing in girls, well if you are greedy and into something like that, you hang around. Most with half a brain are not in this position to start with or politely decline the advances and move on. I think your article has good intentions but paints Nrl players as stupid, which I know they are not. But we, as people, are not all the same, we make different choices, and therefore get different outcomes. That's life. This Hayne thing might be blown out of proportion, most of us have no idea, all we get is what is thrown at us by the media, and we know some of that is OTT! But although that guy was an ex junior, it sounds obvious to all what he is, so what's he doing at a Titans party????
Jerry
Guest
Maybe the NRL should have their own night clubs where footy players can let their hair down and dance along to Tina Turner and Billy Thorpe.
Peeeko
Guest
Johnno, probably your best comment ever
Peeeko
Guest
Great comment
Ticker
Guest
I liked you as a player Craig and I respect you have an insight into what high profile rugby league players go through and are subjected to in public and how difficult it is for them to have an enjoyable time out. I worked most weekends myself in my industry so I socialised with people who did what I did. I can tell you I know many many elite sportsmen and sportswomen, including superstar rugby league players who were and are not only careful whose company they keep, but made sure they were in the right company. I hear what you are saying Craig but if you don't want to get tarred by the same brush, don't hang out with criminals, brothel owners, drug dealers or people of ill repute. Instead of trying to excuse this kind of behaviour we should be better educating our young, upcoming stars of the future of the dangers of involving themselves with so-called undesirable people. I have no issue with someone supporting a mate who has made a mistake in life as long as they do it privately. Cheers Craig.
Mark
Guest
It's good to read an article were there is actual insight into what goes on and how it happens. Most journos just write clthe usual that most of us are already thinking or know. Good article, more like this plZ roar
Bill
Guest
"But players can’t help who their mates are." You choose your friends you can't choose your family. If someone is a dickhead, you get them out of your life.
Bill
Guest
So he isn't allowed to hang out with his own dad?
Phill L
Guest
Why are you squabbling over a few minor indiscretions of a few footy players. Most footy players are descent, hard working , plying their trade blokes. I think its great they mix with the common people, criminals, gang bangers or others. Rugby League is a working class game with all the pitfalls , in your face, smash em , air out the dirty laundry sport-its a no beg your pardons game unlike union. I mean you wouldn't want to become PC like Union? NRL is about entertainment and what's not good about seeing Hayne giving 5000 bucks to criminals and having a good time or having a group photo and a nice meal with one of the top drug lords-great entertainment.
Johnno
Guest
Craig this is a measured and good article. Your points are very good and make a lot of sense. Unfortunatley accurate and intelligent articles like this are fighting a war vs the "tabloid media"/sensationalist media and court of public opinion, which often there readers make there judgements and opinions based on sensationalist headlines/and articles,rather than "true facts" or well thought out views. The regular tabloid reader hasn't got all day to worry about NRL players, they have 5 minutes to make up there minds guilty or not guilty, and often sadly choose guilty based on sensationalist headlines. Intelligent articles that go into detail, are fighting a war basically against tabloid trash, and often tabloid trash wins. This is a good article but alas all in vain, as many will just think every time a footy player is in the tabloid media for somthin e.g. they will go guilty or bad footy player, without checking the facts(stupid but true). Footy players can't all go out and study law degrees(even though that would help them lol) but clubs need to do more media training for there players, heck make it compulsory for all NRL players to do some media training and how to deal with the media, it would help there playing careers, or even make it compulsory that they have to do some charity work e.g. visiting homeless shelters or visiting inmates in Jail, as it might knock some sense in to them how lucky they are to have an upper-middle class job/even rich man's job salary as a footy player. Other problem the NRL has with all this, and why players will judged on case by case basis in trial by media rather than accurate legal precedents is stuff like the NRL letting convicted criminals(once they done the time and been rehabilitated e.g. Wicks/russell packer) the 2dn chance to play again. I support 2nd chances anyway and it's a good thing, but if the NRL asks players not to hang out with shady figures, must all NRL players disclose if there girlfriends/wives have criminal convictions, where dose the NRL draw the line. A can of worms this recent Fifita stuff has opened. A good article Craig.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
"its rare for an NRL player to put his hand in his pocket.." Do you know how many hours rugby league players give to the community? Equate this in financial terms & it would be a lot. Also I'm privy to some information from an organisation like 'Men of League' and you'd be surprised at how much current & past players give financially for good causes but wish to remain anonomous. Youre better off saying its rare for a pollie to put his/her hand in ones pocket.
Pomeroy007
Roar Rookie
Great article Craig. Good insight to the life of an professional footballer. Like most NRL players the more they earn the more FREE things they expect, its rare for an NRL player to put his hand in his pocket.. As a human that doesnt play professional sport I am mindful of the people I befriend and keep company with. Its all well and good to get FREE drinks, private areas within nightclubs, pretty ladies etc, but we all know nothing is FREE in life these shady characters will expect something in return down the track, that's a no brainer. NRL players & Nightclubs just do not go hand in hand, nothing good comes out of regular visits to a nightclub. As some individuals have found out in recent times, social media is everywhere these days and as sports stars you unfortunately are being watched by Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and that elusive Mobile Phone camera.. Once again a great article Craig, you were certainly one of the clean skin role models the game has seen.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
Well articulated Craig - but I think the points you make only raise concerns about the fact of where does the pendulum shift? Increasingly, players are being isolated from mainstream society into this protective bubble - can we ask legitimately if this is in the best interest of anyone other than a bunch of high-rolling execs who placate their players into submission by offering high salaries and insulated from the mediocre mainstream, or is it in the interest of the common fan who views players as unreachable and inaccessible demigods? You can't ever wind back the professional standards employed in the game to what it was before. But one thing the NRL, and for that matter, all professional sporting codes could do is to enforce measures that will make players take up alternative employment/study alongside their playing career. This will put them back in touch with people who earn as much in a year as they do in a week, and also help them realise the potential harm of liaising with less favourable elements of our society. Too often young men and women (especially men) are taken under the wing of people who see them as little more than veritable cash cows. And at what cost? They may earn a lot of money, but they also expose themselves to a life of danger without ever having the cognitive skills to realise it. It's a world they can easily be trapped in, and then when they are, the media go to task in berating them ceaselessly. Something has to change, but given self-interest will always rule, little will.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
But he can choose to see his dad when his dad is not in the company of other criminals which was the case apparently
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
This line suggests you think the NRL is more than others "and seem a little bit more gangsta". I've just pointed out the obvious. Can't clean bowl with a no ball